Fishing at Morris Lake, Vernon Parish, Louisiana

• Overview

  Set in Vernon Parish, Morris Lake is a Louisiana water. Country round the bank runs to pine and hardwood. At 6 acres it is the sort of place you fish for an evening rather than a day. It is high ground by Louisiana standards. The nearest town is Leesville, 1.1 miles away. Beyond it, New Llano at 3 miles and Fort Polk North at 6.5 miles. Rules here are straightforward: one county, one set of rules.

• Where to Fish on Morris Lake

  Without a survey to go on, judge depth from how the bank falls away. The old creek line under the surface is the feature worth finding. Look for where the old bank line still shows under the surface. Biodiversity records within roughly six miles include redspot darter, dusky darter and harlequin darter. Check the state or provincial list before planning around one species. The shape of Morris Lake decides where the fish sit.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Between January at about 48°F and July at about 82°F, the water has a wide range to work through. It fishes twelve months of the year. The first and last hours carry the summer; the middle is slow. June to September is hot work, so the first and last hours are what count. Morris Lake runs to its own calendar within the local pattern.

• Tackle & Baits

  The paperwork position is blank for this one. There is a car park half a mile from the bank. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. State or provincial rules still apply whatever the bank status. Barbless rules turn up on managed water more often than not. Lewis and Killian Lake at 3.9 miles is the sensible second choice. For Morris Lake, the notice at the access point is the final word.